CALL TODAY! (800) 447-3177
  • ONLINE STORE
  • OTIS PORTAL
EMS SAFETY EMS SAFETY EMS SAFETY EMS SAFETY
  • Home
  • BECOME AN INSTRUCTOR
    • Become an Instructor
      • Become an Instructor
      • Remote Skills Verification
      • Instructor Course Schedule
      • Already an Instructor?
    • Training Programs Offered
      • EMS Safety Programs
      • HSI Adult First Aid | CPR AED [2022 Release]
      • HSI Basic Life Support (BLS) [2022 Release]
      • HSI Pediatric First Aid | CPR AED [2022 Release]
      • CPR and AED
      • Basic First Aid
      • BLS for Healthcare Providers
      • CPR, AED and First Aid for Childcare Providers
      • Bloodborne Pathogens
    • More Courses & Education
      • Government Purchasing
      • CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor Training Courses
      • Program Approvals
  • LEARN
    • FIND AN INSTRUCTOR
    • Corporate Care Training CPR AED First Aid Certification
    • Training Programs
    • Testimonials
    • Safety101
      • CPR 101
      • AED 101
      • First Aid 101
      • O2 101
      • Ask the Expert
      • Get Involved
  • PRODUCTS
    • Learn About Our Products
    • AEDs
    • AED Trainers & Supplies
    • CPR Manikins
    • CPR Masks
    • First Aid Kits
    • First Aid Supplies
    • Oxygen tanks and supplies
    • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • ABOUT
    • About EMS Safety
    • FAQ
    • Policies
    • Quality
    • LIVES
      • Testimonials
      • Awards
    • Liability Insurance
  • BLOG
  • Contact Us
EMS SAFETY EMS SAFETY
  • Home
  • BECOME AN INSTRUCTOR
    • Become an Instructor
      • Become an Instructor
      • Remote Skills Verification
      • Instructor Course Schedule
      • Already an Instructor?
    • Training Programs Offered
      • EMS Safety Programs
      • HSI Adult First Aid | CPR AED [2022 Release]
      • HSI Basic Life Support (BLS) [2022 Release]
      • HSI Pediatric First Aid | CPR AED [2022 Release]
      • CPR and AED
      • Basic First Aid
      • BLS for Healthcare Providers
      • CPR, AED and First Aid for Childcare Providers
      • Bloodborne Pathogens
    • More Courses & Education
      • Government Purchasing
      • CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor Training Courses
      • Program Approvals
  • LEARN
    • FIND AN INSTRUCTOR
    • Corporate Care Training CPR AED First Aid Certification
    • Training Programs
    • Testimonials
    • Safety101
      • CPR 101
      • AED 101
      • First Aid 101
      • O2 101
      • Ask the Expert
      • Get Involved
  • PRODUCTS
    • Learn About Our Products
    • AEDs
    • AED Trainers & Supplies
    • CPR Manikins
    • CPR Masks
    • First Aid Kits
    • First Aid Supplies
    • Oxygen tanks and supplies
    • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • ABOUT
    • About EMS Safety
    • FAQ
    • Policies
    • Quality
    • LIVES
      • Testimonials
      • Awards
    • Liability Insurance
  • BLOG
  • Contact Us
Feb 15

So, No Rescue Breaths with CPR, Right?

  • February 15, 2016
  • CPR, EMS Safety Programs

I hear a version of that question before just about every CPR and AED class I teach. The answer is a bit yes and no… To be clear, for successful CPR course completion, rescue breaths with CPR is required.

End blog.

Just kidding…

Here are 2 things you need to know about rescue breaths with CPR:

What is compression-only CPR and why is it even a thing?

When an adult or adolescent has a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the person becomes unresponsive and stops breathing. The person’s body is still loaded with oxygen, it’s just that the heart has stopped beating and the oxygen is not being circulated.

‘Compression-only’ or ‘hands-only’ CPR is chest compressions without rescue breaths. It is a public service initiative for untrained rescuers to easily learn how to call 911 and then provide immediate chest compressions when they witness an SCA of an adult or adolescent.

CPR Trainer

Increasing bystander compression-only CPR rates should help increase survival of out-of-hospital SCA. Studies show that there is some air exchange with compression-only CPR. Besides, rescue breaths are tough enough for trained rescuers, let alone untrained.

If compression-only CPR works, why are rescue breaths required for CPR training?

Compression-only CPR does work, but only for a very specific type of cardiac arrest: Witnessed SCA of an adult or adolescent. Physiologically speaking, CPR with rescue breaths is better overall. In some circumstances, compression-only CPR is not recommended:

  • Child and infant CPR: Most causes of pediatric cardiac arrest are related to respiratory failure, or more simply put, breathing stops first. Children, generally speaking, are healthy and don’t have cardiac issues. When a child or infant needs CPR it’s usually because of a severe breathing problem. Once a child or infant is in cardiac arrest, the oxygen level is already severely depleted, making rescue breaths with CPR very important.
Child and infant CPR
  • Respiratory failure leading to cardiac arrest: Drowning, overdose, choking, trauma, and sudden illnesses like severe allergic reaction and asthma attacks cause some cardiac arrests. In these cases the oxygen level is also severely depleted. Breaths are needed with chest compressions.
  • Unwitnessed cardiac arrest: When cardiac arrest is unwitnessed, the person may have been down for a while. Like the circumstances above, the body is oxygen-depleted and the person will benefit more from CPR with rescue breaths than with compression-only CPR.

An Instructor’s job is to teach traditional CPR, which includes rescue breaths. At the scene, the student becomes the rescuer and he or she will decide whether or not to give breaths. At the end of the day, students should understand that compressions without breaths is much better than doing nothing, but compressions with breaths give the best odds for survival (and are needed to get certified in CPR)!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • E-Mail

Comments are closed.

Recent Posts

  • February is Heart Month – Are You Trained in CPR?
  • Active Violence Awareness: Enjoy Community Celebrations While Staying Alert
  • Holiday Safety Tips for Your Home and Travel
  • How to Position Your Hands for CPR: Adult, Child and Infant Guide
  • Are Rescue Breaths Necessary During CPR?

Categories

  • AED
  • AED & First Aid for Caregivers
  • Allergic Reactions
  • AVERT
  • Bleeding
  • BLS for Healthcare Providers
  • Brain Injury
  • Choking
  • Cold Related Emergencies
  • COVID
  • CPR
  • CPR
  • CPR & First Aid for Childcare Providers
  • CPR AED Awareness Week
  • CPR Manikins
  • Default
  • Disaster Preparedness
  • EMS Safety Programs
  • First Aid
  • Halloween
  • Heart Attack
  • Heat Stroke
  • Heat-Related Emergencies
  • Instructor Portal
  • Instructor Stories
  • Instructor Trainer
  • Medicines
  • Miscellaneous
  • National Preparedness Month
  • News and Events
  • Poisoning
  • Products
  • Remote Skills Verification (RSV)
  • Safety
  • Save Story
  • Stroke
  • Sudden Cardiac Arrest
  • Teaching Tips
  • Videos
  • Water Safety
  • Wilderness First Aid

Archives

  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
EMS Safety

Search Site:

Website Menu

  • Home
  • Products
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Recent Posts

  • February is Heart Month – Are You Trained in CPR? January 31, 2023
  • Active Violence Awareness: Enjoy Community Celebrations While Staying Alert January 11, 2023
  • Holiday Safety Tips for Your Home and Travel November 16, 2022
  • How to Position Your Hands for CPR: Adult, Child and Infant Guide October 12, 2022
  • Are Rescue Breaths Necessary During CPR? September 20, 2022
EMS Safety Services © 2023 All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy